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...we all make choices and we are responsible for the choices we make...

Right. There's a difference between someone being lazy and complaining about their situation in life than someone who legitimately is unable to handle their problems. I'm not saying spread government programs to take care of everything for every person-- that would take away the incentive to work. However, I believe that a government should do anything it can to prevent its citizens from dying or living terribly unfair lives.
Also, I agree that a lot of the problem is that people refuse to work jobs that they feel are "under" them. However, is it really justified to punish those who legitimately try to help themselves because of the ones who refuse to? Is it not wrong to punish the good for the actions of the bad?

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...going to have to take the harder jobs with lower wages and man up until things get better...

I think that people would be less affected by the recession if they were to settle for these jobs (as opposed to staying unemployed) but I think the better thing to do is to eliminate unneeded spending, minimally reduce what is needed, and perhaps raise the taxes (not much) or somehow increase the aggregate number of taxpayers. (Instead of the ridiculous 40% who pay income tax in the U.S.)

As for overpopulation, I think the best way to control it is to modernize/industrialize third-world countries. As with most modernized countries, their birthrates are generally controlled or diminished.